I'd done a Liebster Award post before, back in July, but there was a bit of confusion about what that actually meant, and it got treated basically like a tag. This time, however, there were lovely clear lists of rules/guidelines in the posts:

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1. Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog. Try to include a little promotion for the person who nominated you. They will thank you for it and those whom you nominate will also help you out as well. (Or, as MK put it, gush about how wonderful the person who nominated you is.)

2. Display the award on your blog – by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a “widget” or a “gadget”. (There are lots of options for pictures if you go here!)

3. Write a 150-300 word rave about your favorite blog that is not your own. Explain why you like the blog, provide links.

4. Nominate 5–11 blogs – who have less than 200 followers – that you feel deserve the award.

5. List these rules in your post.

6. Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post. (They might not have ever heard of it!)

7. Post a comment in the comments of the award post so your post and blog can be viewed. (This... was only open until mid-December... oh well ;)

Lila Kims blogs about books and writing (including as a Rebellious Writing member-admin-person!). She's writing a fairytale retelling that sounds awesome and you should check it out... and she's also moving to a new blog, the address of which I don't know yet. xD

Mary Katherine runs a blog called Sarcastic Scribblings and that's EXACTLY the content she provides (with a little fangirling thrown in - mention the Lunar Chronicles! ;) and this is 81.4% of the reason I follow her because sarcastic scribblings are the best. She's also writing a superhero story with an amazing duo of lead characters, and I can't wait to read more about it!

The Temperamental Writer - well, read her about page and then tell me I'm wrong for hitting follow straight away xD Humour and fangirling. I'm in. (The only awkward thing? Typing "The Temperamental Writer" when I want to address her by name. ;P Do you have a preferred nickname, Temperamental Writer??)

Thank you, you lovely people, for nominating me. <3

And a blog that I've come to love very much for its depth and inspiring words is Jessica's Apples of Gold. I didn't realise just how much it meant to me until a few posts brought out quite an emotional reaction. (See Dear Girl Who Feels Deeply and A Call to Follow God's Will.) Jessica writes about living our faith and loving others, and does it beautifully. Thank you for being amazing, Jessica. <3

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And MK and The Temperamental Writer both ALSO gave 11 questions and asked for 11 random facts.

WHY DID I LEAVE THIS POST UNTIL IT GREW SO BIG AND UNWIELDY. WHY.

Mary Katherine's questions:

1. What is the most extreme thing you have ever done?
I don't know, off the top of my head, but it was probably something to do with socializing.

(I'm not likely to have done anything physically extreme like jump off cliffs into the ocean or something. Although I know people who've done that.)

2. What is your favorite post you have ever written?
Um... the meet my family post was fun! And the ideas from Pinterest series is great. You should all go check them out if you haven't read them already.

(...yeah, I make a terrible salesman. Sorry. Don't mind me, I'm just being awkward here.)

3. When was the last time you laughed? (Was it because of this post?)
Nooo, it wasn't because of your post, sorry MK... but that's because it's been a looong time since your post, because I am a Master Procrastinator. I definitely did laugh when I read your post, particularly your admission that you remember me as "the Australian girl with the owl picture".

(There are worse ways to be remembered??)

4. What is a book you would recommend to anyone?

The False Prince (+ the other two in the trilogy), by Jennifer Neilsen.

(I may have raved about this book before?? sorry??)

5. Who would you want to be stranded on a desert island with?
The American president. Not because I'm a huge fan, or because I want to talk to him or anything? because I don't think we have many common topics of interest... but I figure the chance of being rescued by the huge manhunt is pretty high. ;)

(I'm proud of this answer - although my original thought was "a boat-maker". Second thought was "the Doctor", but I figured that if he's stranded he mustn't have the TARDIS anyway... we'd get rescued, but it would take the whole episode and I might end up dying and being the angst factor??)

(Actually I hate salad so it's a good think my mother raised us to avoid fast food, or else I'd definitely be super unhealthy. I do like Domino's pizza...)

7. What would be the perfect date? (April 25?)
Wait. What's on April 25th?? *googles* ANZAC Day? I don't- what??

(I don't get it?)

8. Cat or dog person?
Dunno. Either. I used to be a real cat person, but just the other day I found myself saying "Oh, look at you, you're such a boofy floofball, aw, who's a good boofy floofball, yeahhh, you are!" at a random dog. So.

(I mean, uh, that wasn't me. Of course not.)

9. Favorite dessert?
I like chocolate self-saucing pudding... among many others. Which we sadly don't eat often.

(Although I think the last time I had chocolate self-saucing pudding was the afternoon before my family all came down with some sort of tummy bug involving vomiting. Good memories.)

10. Favorite desert? <3
We just- did- WAIT no. Okay. Desert. Um. Australia has lots of deserts? but I somehow can't remember any of their names?

(Who has a favorite desert anyway. That's my excuse.)

11. A family tradition you love?
My family typically spends Christmas morning at home together, lunch with my mum's family, and tea at the beach with my dad's family. We're blessed to be able to see [almost] all of our family for Christmas.

(Plus we stay in a beach house literally just across a small road from the ocean.)

The Temperamental Writer's questions:

1. If you could time travel, would you go to the future or the past?
Did Doctor Who/The Flash + Legends of Tomorrow/every superhero comic EVER teach you nOTHING?? I would stay right where I am! because the opportunity for creating a paradox/changing my reality is far too high. I don't want to return to my timeline and find out that, I don't know, half my family doesn't exist?? or the Cold War never ended?? or Australia has been taken as an American colony??

(...nothing personal, you guys... but that would be terrible xD)

Unless I went into the past and just saw how people lived... still, the chances I wouldn't change anything are almost nonexistent. And I wouldn't go into the future because my brain simply couldn't handle it the implications of knowing xD

2. What’s more important, plot or characters?
Characters. If I love the characters, I don't care if I'm reading fluff. Probably a plot is usually needed to make me fully invest in the characters, though? How about BOTH because it's like saying do you need your heart or your lungs more??

4. If money was no object, what would your ideal vacation be?
Not a travelling holiday... I like to have a base and focus on an area instead of spending long periods in a car. I did enjoy Hobart, Tasmania (despite the cold!), but I haven't planned out an "ideal vacation". Is that something people do?

(Somewhere with a library, would be nice, I'm thinking??)

5. If you could be the sidekick of any protagonist in a book/movie, who would it be?
I actually did this question, in a depth that was not required or (I'm thinking) wanted, here! (Q6 of the Sunshine Blogger tag, or search "sidekick".)

(Or, if you like, I can start up the discussion again? You'd like that, right? Right? Why are you running?)

6. What’s your favorite time of day?
Dunno. Early morning's nice? but I'm not usually up then. ;P

(You know that weird feeling at night when everyone's in bed and you wander around in the dark and look at the lights of cars driving past? That's pretty cool.)

7. DC or Marvel? (Or neither?)
DC comics, Marvel movies.

(Although Marvel does have some good comics too.)

8. What is something you wish people knew about you without telling them?
In real life? TALK TO ME FIRST OKAY. I will be happy to talk to you! but I will not go and speak to you eVEN IF YOU'RE WEARING A HAWKEYE SHIRT AND A BATMAN CAP AND A BRACELET THAT SAYS "MAE GOVANNEN" because I apparently have no priorities and would rather stand alone against the wall than walk up to a stranger and talk.

(N.B.: I'll be happy to talk to you... unless I'm holding a book, in which case go away or you take your life in your hands. Reason #57 why internet-talking is less stressful than real-life talking - I can just answer you when I'm finished reading.)

9. What is a book that emotionally destroyed you?
I am too strong to be emotionally destroyed.

10. What would your superpower and superhero/super-villain name be?
Pretty sure I'd pick invisibility. But I'm TERRIBLE at thinking up names. (I'd be a hero, though... or chaotic neutral... not a villain, anyway. But probably chaotic, now I think about it.) Any suggestions for a name??

(I would not pick flight. Unless... actually, being able to fly might make me less scared of heights?)

11. Why is a raven like a writing desk?
According to Lewis Carroll: "Because it can produce a few notes, though they are very flat; and it is nevar put with the wrong end in front!"

(Honestly I didn't even know this HAD an answer until I googled it.)

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And as for the 11 random facts, I've decided to put them into another post, because this one's lengthy enough already. ;)

Annnd I'm not going to nominate anyone. Because there are so many amazing blogs! and you're all special in different ways and I love you all. But mostly because this is the 2017 Liebster Award [obviously why I'm publishing it in 2018], and I figure there's a new one. Or something. But YOU ALL DESERVE TO BE NOMINATED BECAUSE YOU'RE AWESOME. *confetti and lamingtons for you all*

...Also, happy new year? *more confetti*

Do you follow Lila and MK and the Temperamental Writer because you should, they're awesome. How much of a procrastinator are you? What are you looking forward to in 2018? (Did you stay up until midnight?) Is there anything in this post that you want to chat about? I'm up for all the chatting!

*Googles further* Ohhh okay. (That does look funny... even funnier because I interpreted the question that way as well... guess I'm just an airhead ;P) I'm a bit out of touch with a lot of movie culture... xD

Being on the desert island with the president would probably be awkward... but if it meant I got rescued, I could put up with it xD

DOMINO'S PIZZA! I'm with you there. xD I did stay up until midnight! (I could actually see the Harbour fireworks from my bedroom window because we moved onto a house that's on a hill, and...wow. They were tiny, but awesome!) :D Happy New Year!

I'm 99% the April 25th question is a reference to Miss Congeniality (which is such a good movie😂). And omg I'm the same with characters coming first!! Even if a plot is full of annoying tropes, as long as the characters are awesome I'M THERE AND I'M HAPPY.

Ha, ha your answers to these questions are awesome. The president one is really clever and also hilarious. I'm very proud of your response to the time travel question. You are a good, responsible human. Let's avoid flashpoints and disruptions of the space time continuum. I'm definitely with you on the morning one, and talking to people, oh my goodness. If you wait for me to start a conversation, we will be waiting until the sun burns out. Also, yes, I think I do need a nickname. I've been thinking for a while that my name takes too long to type. Of course actually coming up with a name is the hard part. Well... if you want a nice normal name, I certainly wouldn't object to being called Kit (after Kit Snicket of course). My sister and I are actually Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr respectively, so you're welcome to call me Erik or Magneto. I'll have to give this whole nickname business some thought...

I LOVED the answers to these questions. By the way, I totally agree with the one answer when Mary Katherine said that she liked DC comics, but loved Marvel MOVIES! I also agree with the fact that I have learned a lot from comic book movies and tv in general and if I had the chance to go through time, I wouldn't take it. (Probably) Unless I could be assured nothing bad would happen, I wouldn't take the risk. Good post. I adored how this post was set up, I love this award/tag/awesome thing! Good post!

I know - I haven't seen any DC movies?? (unless the Lego Batman Movie counts ;) And you're definitely making a good choice in not time traveling - the risk of causing disruption to the timeline is just too high.

I wouldn't mind going out for a date on Anzac Day, that sounds like the sort of date a historical and military nerd like me would appreciate it. And I'd take the American president too, it would be pretty helpful to have the whole world looking for you. I do wonder if people would go to that much effort to find the current president though, unfortunately. However, it's a good idea, very clever. :P

Ah, I know - tags have a habit of building up like that. Thanks for your kind words, Jem. You're amazing yourself. :)

I like how the most extreme thing you've done is some form of socializing, and your answer to who you'd want to be stuck on an island with is really smart! And you've been to Tasmania! Did you fly, or drive and catch the boat? And yes, if I ever meet you I'll try to remember to talk first - I'm afraid it doesn't come naturally to me either, but I'm working on it. :) Anyway, it was great to read your answers! Thanks for the post!

Dear European Union:

Thanks for making my life that extra bit harder.

*reads through Google tech-speak gloomily*

'kay. so. If you read my blog, you accept that there will be cookies involved. Because you basically can't use the internet without cookies. I do not control these cookies and am not using them to gather your information. (That... would be Google.)

Here and here are the articles that I'm trying to comply with. If you read it yourself, I don't have to understand it, right?? If you're concerned, go read it.

If you continue reading my blog (which I hope you do, honestly), you accept that:

a) the cookies involved are the standard ones for a Blogger blog, as far as I am aware;

b) I have no idea what the cookies are doing;

c) it's all Google; and

d) I really don't think I should be dragged before a court if I get this wrong, but fortunately I'm not exactly famous so it's unlikely anyone will be paying attention.